The Chicago Bears passing game is stuck in the mud. They can’t seem to get going every week. It is getting to a point where they’re almost willing to try anything. That may soon include a shuffle at wide receiver. Equanimeous St. Brown and Dante Pettis haven’t been able to step up. Their snaps could soon be in danger. Rookie Velus Jones has already returned from his hamstring injury. He figures to get more offensive action in the coming weeks. He may not be the only one.
Head coach Matt Eberflus confirmed that N’Keal Harry, the former 1st round pick Chicago traded for during the off-season, is returning to practice. He suffered an ankle injury that forced the team to place him on short-term Injured Reserve. Eberflus didn’t indicate whether the receiver would play but said the possibility is there. It comes down to how Harry responds in practice. If he looks sharp, he could make his debut Sunday in Minnesota.
Matt Eberflus didn't rule out N'Keal Harry being activated for Sunday's game but the Bears want to see how he progresses back in practice: "We like where he is right now. … We'll see how he picks it up."
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) October 5, 2022
Chicago Bears can’t know what Harry will offer.
He wasn’t much of a receiving threat during his run with the New England Patriots. He believes it was because they didn’t give him enough opportunities. Justin Fields doesn’t have a track record of throwing the ball into tight windows or throwing it up on 50/50 chances. That is basically what Harry did best during his standout career in college. Fields would have to be willing to give the guy a chance to make some plays.
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On the other hand, his return could be a boon for the Bears’ ground attack. Chicago already has one of the most productive running games in the league. One key way this works is getting effective blocking from the wide receivers. While his receiving was always questioned in New England, nobody ever called Harry a bad blocker. He was one of the best run-blocking receivers in the NFL last season. That should make Khalil Herbert and Trestan Ebner happy men.
